Kees Stoop made this drawing of trees using graphite on paper. Graphite, a form of carbon, is the very stuff of pencils, ubiquitous in our modern lives. Here, Stoop uses it to capture the density of a wooded scene with striking immediacy. Look at the way the graphite is applied: thin, scratchy lines build up to create an overall impression of texture. The direction of the marks suggests the forms of the trees, and also conveys a sense of movement, as though a breeze is blowing through the scene. Stoop's choice of such a simple material puts the emphasis on the act of drawing itself. There’s a deliberate roughness here, which allows us to appreciate the physical process by which the image came into being. We can see Stoop’s hand at work, making a direct and unpretentious record of the natural world. It shows us how even the most humble materials, when handled with sensitivity and skill, can yield powerful aesthetic results.